ASong by Damian Rice, Older Chests

Older chests reveal themselves
Like a crack in a wall
Starting small, and grow in time
And we all seem to need the help
Of someone else
To mend that shelf
of too many books
Read me your favourite line

Papa went to other lands
And he found someone who understands
The ticking, and the western man's need to cry
He came back the other day, yeah you know
Some things in life may change
And some things
They stay the same

Like time, there's always time
On my mind
So pass me by, I'll be fine
Just give me time

Older gents sit on the fence
With their cap in hand
Looking grand
They watch their city change
Children scream, or so it seems,
Louder than before
Out of doors, into stores with bigger names
Mama tried to wash their faces
But these kids they lost their graces
And daddy lost at the races too many times

She broke down the other day, yeah you know
Some things in life may change
And some things they stay the same

Like time, time, there's always time
On my mind
So pass me by, I'll be fine
Just give me time,
Time, there's always time
On my mind
Pass me by, I'll be fine
Just give me time

Israeli Music Videos, update, and more army pictures!









Hi boys and girls,

I am pleased to find time to write something to you guys. I hope some one liked seeing the Israeli video clips. A few times I sent CDs of Israeli music to family or friends and I have never gotten a response, so I assume they don't like the music. I am a strange one cuz I like music that I can't understand. It lets you imagination be free. You can really focus on the music and voices and choose your own idea of what the song is about. But yes I too love to understand lyrics. The longer I am hear the easier it is to understand lyrics and Israeli songs (well some of them) are very poetic.

This is my first time to be at home for 5 days from the army. It is amazing. 5 days is really a long time. From now on I should get 5 days off for ever 9 days in the army! I will tell you what I did:

Thursday: Left the army base at 5am, got home at 8, ate delicious kibbutz breakfast, sorted my laundry, packed a little bag and left for Tel Aviv. Got to T.A. went to the beach, relaxed on the beach with the book A Thousand Splendid Suns (AMAZING get it!) the new one by Khaled Hosseini (author of The Kite Runner), hung out with Lerone and Amitai that night, drank a lot of beer:)

Friday: Slept late, went to a Shai Gabso concert with Lerone and Amitai for his birthday. It was nice, Shai is still a baby boy of an artist, but he has a lot of potential, went home for a nap, ordered pizza.

Saturday: Slept late, went to the beach with Amitai, did a lot of boy watching, went to Netanya on my way home to meet someone from the army, drank a beer on the beach, made it back home by the last bus.

Sunday: My yom sidurim (day to organize things) went to the ministry of education in Haifa. Got information on Hebrew classes for after the army. Went to Haifa University to check out the campus. Haifa is probably where I will take the courses.

Today: Slept late, did nothing!!!

Tomorrow: Back to the army!

I am very much in a crossroads. Some huge choices that I have made in life have been very clear to me, but I am still waffling with the idea to ask for more time in the army. I feel whatever I decide I will regret. If I don't stay longer I will alway have that feeling of, why didn't I stay long, I just started to get use to the whole army life thing and then BAM it was over, and only doing the actual job for 4 months. If I stay I know I will get bored with the job (it can be a very boring job), I will reget that I will finish the army close to or at the age of 25. Whatever I choose I will be left with regret. And no one can tell me what to do, because people really see that it is a crossroads.

I really am starting to have great fun, meet great people, feel a niche, feel at ease with Hebrew. How do I know if this is a sign to stay or a sign to move on?

If I finish the army as planned Mechina (advanced Hebrew prep classes) start in October, which is perfect. I can take a trip to the US and probably be back for the classes.

Now a break in writing for some picture:



Every month or two we go on a "tour of the line" as you say in Hebrew. It can be a lot of fun because we get to see the territory we cover upclose and personal. Sometimes you start to think that it all isn't real! This time though we took a wrong turn and saw the territory too up close and personal. We drove all the way to the boarder. One of the girls suggested a wrong turn and eventhough there was a sign saying :"STOP THE BOARDER IS IN FRONT OF YOU" (that's what this sign reads) we kept going!!!



This is Aya and Muria after they pulled away barbed wire so the bus could attempt to turn around in a very narrow place.

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It was really funny to be stuck. The driver was so pissed off, he was yelling and cursing we were all just laughing hysterically, because well it is funny.





A pretty view of the terrain.

Another thing I really like about where I am in the army is we get A LOT of English speaking visitors and I am sort of the unoffical explainer and spokes girl. I really enjoy giving little tours and it also takes a lot of the stress of the commanders and officers because these aren't such easy things for them to explain in English. I have talked to important people from the Jewish Agency, journalists, and just English speakers that have connections and can come for a visit to see what we do. It is also another great way for me to network. I have gotten tons of invitations to peoples homes and lots of support.

I am starting to read The Little Prince in Hebrew because it is about time I attempt to teach myself to read in Hebrew. I have plenty of people who are happy to help me if i need it, so I begin.

I have really become addicted to this random phone chats during guarding. And it has really turned out to be a great thing for my Hebrew. I now have 4 boys that I regularly talk on the phone with. I found out what mit'hangel means and well its not such a good thing. It means basically for a boy and girl to hook-up or an easy boy and girl. But I don't mit'hangel they way I am supposed to. The way I am supposed to is to talk maybe 2 or 3 times with a guy, lie about how pretty I am, flirt like hell, and then move on to the next one. But I have real converations about life and so I have a little following of army boys. The funny thing is at first I felt kind of guilty because I am talking to them for an alterer motive (practice my Hebrew) but then I got over it because they also have an alterer motive (to meet a hot chick because they are lonely). I'm talking to guys who are on really remote outposts that are closed military zones, where only boys are allowed. So after 2 weeks or more alone on those bases just the sound of a girls voice can be the biggest pleasure for them. Just helping out where I can:)

If you heard the news of the katyushot rackets that fell in Kiriat Shmona, don't worry. No one was hurt thank god. And what I have read and heard is it was not Hezballah (eventhough it breaks the ceasefire agreement of 2nd Lebanon war). There was another rocket that fell in Lebanon in my territory in the town of Hula. So it should be pretty interesting to go back tomorrow. But please don't worry, Israel is not planning to respond the attack.

Trailer for the film Bufor (Beaufort in English)



I think this a pretty lousy representation of an amazing film. But watch it anyway and if you get the chance to see the movie I highly recommend it.

the third summer...

Well my friends, grab your bag of Bamba and sakit choco (peanut snack and bag of chocolate milk) and sit back and read, because Lizzy has finally made sometime to make some life updates:

side note: (some of these pictures are really old. you can basically distinguish this by how much clothing everyone is wearing. You are smart, you can figure it out.A view from my base, Mitzpe Adi, in the very early spring. This photo does the view of Israel no justice what so ever, but it is a glace at what I see. The building in the middle is the dinningroom/kitchen. This is taken standing outside the "hamal" (war room, where I do my guarding shifts)
The mountains in the distance are the Hermon (mentioned in the bible at some point or another) and the highest part is actually Syria. There was snow on the Syrian mountains until April! So think about it: my view at Mitzpe Adi (in Hebrew mitzpe means viewpoint/ lookout) spans from Syria, Lebanon, to northern Israel including the Syrian/African straight, the Golan, and the northern valley.
Just about once a month we go on a trip of different parts of the territories we cover to see the closest live view possible. It is really interesting to see things that you only see on a screen in real life. This is not a picture of my territory, but a glance into Southern Lebanon. Notice the yellow flag in the middle? That's the flag of Hezballah.
This is some of my territory!! Very exciting to see it really exsists! I think this picture was taken in February or March.
This is my room on the base. It is shared by 4 girls. My bunk is the top left one. This photo was taken when we first moved in. It actually looks a lot more home-y, and a lot more crowded. I know probably no one can believe it, but I have become a much more tidy person. I am now a lover of no clutter. And unfortunatly my roommates are lovers of clutter and not clean at all. So a live in a jungle of a room.
This is one of our cameras (probably the most impressive in size. Most of the others, including mine are just a pole and a camera on the top. But she is a big momma. Her name is Tziporen, her nickname, Tzipi ha Katan (little Tzipi)
This is a funny thing. I took this picture a really long time ago, actually last summer. This is my friend Amitai. He asked me to take pictures of him and so we had a little photo shoot in Tel Aviv. I cropped a few of the ones I liked and sent him all do do with as he pleased. This picture was forwarded to me a few days ago by Lerone. I don't remember taking it, and I didn;t crop it. But it just shows what a good crop can do to a picture. I really love it now.



This is my neighbor Richie. He is from Texas and he has been in the army since November. He is Nahal and just now finishing all his training. I really love him. Actually When I heard I was getting an American neighbor I was less than excited. But he is not your typical American Jew Prince. I love to hear all his army stories, some things a simplly can't believe kids go through. For example he just finished his final march, you could say, for his beret. 60 kilometers!!!! This picture was taken before we went to a Reggae concert on our kibbutz, sometime in the spring.
I asked a soldier boy to take this picture. At first I hated it because it is so far away, but I think this will be one of those pictures you look back on as really cool, because you can see life around you. This is the day before Passover. Noa had just moved here and came to my kibbutz to visit. We were both on our way to Passover Seder.
Just a little street in Tel Aviv. Thought it was a nice shoot with all the different colors and angles.


This is my lovely Dora!!! I have been friends with her for 9 months and this our first picture. I don't think it does her justice, she really is one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen. Maybe because a picture can not capture the beauty inside too. She is a person that I think God has come into my life and changed my life in many ways. She was my neighbor in my kibbutz but she finished the army and moved to Holon, a neighborhood near T.A. Here we are in Jaffo having a coffee and a bite to eat. It was the cutest little cafe.
This is Shiran. It is a long an strange story, but we were dating. Not for very long because he is now in Canada working to make money, like every Iraeli does. But to make a long story short we met almost a year ago in En HaShofet (he lives there) and we worked together in the factory. We started dating and he was the biggest jerk in the world. I told him off and thought I would never talk to him again. Fastforward about 4 or 5 months, I was in En HaShofet visiting and I get an sms from an unknow number saying: you probably hate me, but I would like to talk. So we met and talked about what happened, eventhough my first reaction was to tell him to fuck off (pardon my French). We made peace, we became friends, and then we tried again. I am not a believed that people can change, but I saw it. We only dated for about a month. But we had a lot of fun. We went to the kinneret together (thats where I took this) and he came to my base a few times. He left about 3 weeks ago. And we have left it as, it was fun and its too bad we won't get to see what it could have been, but we will be friends, cuz I think he is a super cool guy.


This is Yakir, my mit'hangel. I'll explain. There is a lingo in 869 (that is my sector of field intellagence. All the north is 869) that says if you talk on the phone with a random person of the opposite sex during your shift you are mit'hangel or mit'hangelet. Does that make any sense? So this is my first mit'hangel, Yakir.

Yakir called late one night probably 1:30 am asking for another girl. I told him she is not here right now.

This is the conversation:
(it starts in Hebrew, I will tell you when it switches)
Y=Yakir
L= me, Liz
Y: Hi, is Tali guarding now?
L:No she is at home.
Y: Oh....are you bored?
L: yeah and tired.
(now I asked him in English, I don't know why even, maybe I was too tired and just slipped back)
How do you know Tali?
Y: (with an Israeli accent) um, eh, I meet her, eh, just like I meet you, eh, on the phone. How, eh do you now English?
L: I'm American
Y: (suddenly no accent) You are!! Wow thats so cool!
L:Why did your accent just change?
Y:what do you mean?
L:well first you were talking in an Israeli accent and now you are taking like an American...
Y:because I am amaerican too.

And so it went. He was born here in Israel to American parents who made Aliyah (they met in the laundry of the army) and his arents moved back tot he US when he was 2 until 13. And then back to Israel. So that is how he has perfect Hebrew and perfect English.

It is crazy to say but I have talked with him so much like 10 hours a day on our weekend shift!! And we had a chance meeting in Kirat Shmona. I really like him and think we could be friends in real life.

Some of the girls in platoon on our "platoon day" last week. It was really fun. In the morning half the platoon went kiyaking and in the afternoon the other half went to pool. It was really fun and relaxing. This is Sivan, me, Ruby, and Rotem.
And that night we had a party, it was very fun.
1,000 sorry, sorry, sorry. I know I keep saying....in another (fill in the blank) I should be finished with my training and have more time off. But I really am there. I have finished all my tests except my final one. And I hope that I can finish this upcoming week, if not in two weeks. But my goal is the next time I leave the army base to leave for my 5 days off. I have been doing normal shifts now. It has become less stressful. At first I was so so scared, with the talking and all. But now I have given direction, desciptions, all this stuff. My writing is improving so much and of course my talking.

I think because of the stress to finish the test I am talking a lot more in my sleep. I feel really bad for my roommates because they can't really sleep through it. However the cool thing is I am talking in Hebrew in my sleep!!!! That was one of the most exciting things for me. That means I am really starting to think in Hebrew. I am not fluent, but every day I feel more and more confident.

The final test is really big. No one passes the first one, its like an unwritten rule. But you must take all that you have learned and the officers make a mock-disaster. You must direct the planes, tanks, foot soldiers, and also other girls that are in other stations but can see the same territory as you. I tried my first practice on and it is so hard, because you must do so many things at once.

But slowly I will get it. Because I remember when I started learning to direct the pilots, so I was sure there would be no way I could do it, but now I can. After a few days practice I should be ready for the testing.

I also got word that my request to have my army service shortened was granted. I will serve until September 10. 1 day shy of a year in the army. I am happy and a sad. On the one hand I only have 5 months to go!! On the other I have spent 7 months just doing all this training and now I will only do the job for 5 months. I have finally gotten used to army life, making good friends. But I have desided the best thing to do is plan life as if I will get out in September. I need to start looking for a job, and the beginning levels of school. And if a few months before my service is up and I really feel like staying, so I can ask to add on the time. But I think it is best to start getting on with my life here.

I had a great Pesach (Passover). I got out of the army for it and went with one of my good friends to her families house. Her name is Tzlil (it means sound) and I met her in the intellagence course. She is such a cool person. She has lived all over Africa in her childhood, because of her fathers work. She has seen and done so much. Her family was so warm and eclectic. You could really see that the whole extended family really enjoyed each other. The most fun of the night was the acted out the whole "had gad yah" complete with costumes, it was so funny.

Her house was so beautiful. She just moved into a brand new house in Kakur. One side was just an open field of wheat. So pretty to take a walk through.

And my friend and old roommate Noa (from Sweden) came back to Israel. She finiahed all her aliyah papers and now is looking for a joba nd place to live. It is very exciting that everyone is coming back. Actually my second roomate Noa (also Orange County) moved here too. I was very pleasently suprised because I didn't know she was planning it. She is also looking into schools.

I know there must be so much more to write about but i am really can't think of anything else right now. Just moving along.

Oh I put up two new posts but they ended up not as new posts. I'll explain after this post there is another post and then the two new ones. One is more about the movie Bufor and the other the lyrics to an Israeli song, a bit depressing, but beautiful. So check it all out.

Have a great week my peeps and I hope next time I write it will be to say Yeah, I finally finished my training....